the obama administration called the launch a provocative act. >> house republican leaders are pressing president obama to come up with a plan they can accept for spending cuts and tax revenues to avoid the so called fiscal cliff. time is running out now for both parties to reach a compromise. we have the latest. >> the deadline to avoid the fiscal cliff is december 316789 lawmakers have less time if they want get something together that congress can pass and the president can sign. >> the longer the white house road blocks this discussion, closer our economy gets to the fiscal cliff. >> in an interview, the president was optimistic a deal can be reached. >> i'm confident republicans would not hold middle class taxes hostage to try to protect tax cuts for high income individuals. >> monday night, white house sent speaker boehner on offer including $1.2 trillion in new revenue. yesterday, boehner sent a counter proposal back but looked almost exactly like their original plan. $800 in new revenue continues to be the sticking point. tax rates on the top earners. republicans insist the whit